You are GOD yourself

[Guest guest]

Swami's discourse on Christmas day on 25-12-2003

 

Embodiments of Love!

 

Where is God? When does He incarnate? Where does He incarnate? These

are the questions that are troubling the minds of people today. God

is omnipresent. All are the embodiments of God. Today, people

attribute various names and forms to God like Rama, Krishna and

Jesus, and celebrate their birthdays. Truly speaking, can there be a

birthday for God? No. To think that God took birth on a particular

day in a year is a sign of ignorance. God is in the form of breath in

every man. 'Soham', this symbolizes the process of inhalation and

exhalation. 'So' means 'That' (God), 'Ham' stands for 'I'

(individual). Though there are two words, namely God and individual,

there is no difference between them. They are one and the same. God

in fact has no birth. He does not need to achieve any goals. However,

in order to instill faith in the minds of people, He incarnates. If

there is birth, there has to be death too. But, God is beyond birth

and death. He has neither a beginning nor an end. To think there is a

birthday for God is only your imagination. Devotees limit God to a

physical frame, worship Him and celebrate His birthdays. That is all

a figment of their imagination and does not correspond to the truth,

 

Every day, in this world, many are born and many die. What is meant

by birth and death? To assume a body is birth and to cast off the

same is death. It is out of illusion that man experiences the

dualities of birth and death, whereas God transcends both. Sarvatah

Panipadam Tat Sarvathokshi Siromukham, Sarvatah Sruthimalloke

Sarvamavruthya Tishthati (with hands, feet, eyes, head, mouth and

ears pervading everything, He permeates the entire universe). It is

out of ignorance that man is caught in the cycle of birth and death.

The Will of God causes birth and death.

 

God is the very personification of love. He is present in all beings

in the form of the life-breath. Since ancient times, people have made

concerted efforts to understand the mystery of birth and death. One

need not go that far to understand this mystery. The body, which we

have assumed, makes us experience it every moment the process of

inhalation and exhalation symbolizes birth and death. Man is unable

to understand the inner significance of this breathing process. What

is it that man is supposed to do, to escape from the cycle of birth

and death? He should develop love more and more. But, today man does

not love his fellow human beings even. That does not mean that he

lacks love. There is love in him but he is unable to experience it.

He should attach value to the principle of Love and not merely to

individuals.

 

When we inhale ('So), the life principle enters our body and when we

exhale ('Ham') it goes out. Every moment this process of inhalation

arid-halation reminds us of our inherent divinity (I am God), SO long

as there is life-breath the body is considered to be Sivam

(auspicious). Once the life-breath ebbs away, it becomes Savam

(corpse). Both birth and death are related to the body and not to the

life principle. Many changes take place between birth and death in a

mysterious way. It is God who is responsible for all these. But some

people deny the existence of God and waste their time in vain

argumentation. God DOES exist. He neither comes nor goes. He is

present everywhere at all times. Man experiences birth and death

because of his body attachment. He will be released from the cycle of

birth and death only when he gives up body attachment and surrenders

himself completely to the Will of God.

 

Oh God, I offer the sacred heart to You which You have given me.

 

What else can I offer at Your Lotus Feet? I pray that You accept my

humble offering.

 

Birth and death arise out of illusion. Every day in this world, many

beings are born and many die. Birth and death happen according to the

time and circumstances. Between birth and death, man gets deluded by

the physical body and develops various relationships at the physical

level. He identifies himself with the body and gets carried away by

the feeling of I and mine. This is a grave mistake. So long as the

body lasts, you are related to so and so. Once the body perishes,

what happens to your relationship? True relationship lies at the

Atmic level and not at the physical level. Prior to birth who is

related to whom? What happens after death? In fact, both birth and

death are the results of bhrama (delusion) because of which you are

unable to realise Brahma (Divinity). As we are enmeshed in this

worldliness, we are unable to comprehend the transcendental principle.

 

True spiritual practice lies in understanding one's true identity.

One should enquire, " Who am I " ? All the spiritual practices are meant

to make you realise who you really are. Everyone uses the term 'I'

while introducing himself. It means that the principle of 'I' (Self)

present in you is the same as the one in others. But man is unable to

understand this oneness. He is carried away by the differences based

on physical body. Consequently, he is giving room to conflicts and

unrest.

 

Embodiments of Love!

 

Birth and death are related to the body and not to the individual

soul. Mind is responsible for both. Everything is man's own making.

Life is a dream. How can anything that appears in a dream be true? It

is all a mere illusion. So long as you are immersed in this bhrama

(delusion), you cannot have the vision of Brahma. It is, only when

you break the shackles of illusion, can you experience the reality.

 

You can understand your true identity by observing your breathing

process. But man is riot interested in such an easy and simple path.

He is taking to rough and difficult paths and is ultimately getting

frustrated. So long as there is a thorn in the flesh, it hurts. Body

attachment is like a thorn, which is the cause of all suffering. Once

you give up body attachment you will know your true Self. You suffer

because you identify yourself with the, body. It is but an illusion.

That is why Sankaracharya said:

 

Punarapi Jananam Punarapi Maranam Punarapi Janani Jathare Sayanam Iha

Samsare Bahu Dustare Kripayapale Pahi Murare

 

(From birth to birth From death to death From womb to womb Tarrying a

while Stitch is the sojourn Of this transient life, Oh destroyer of

the demon Mura, Be my boatman On this turbulent ocean By your

bounteous grace)

 

One need not undertake intense spiritual practices to cross the ocean

of Samsara. All that has to do) is to contemplate on God incessantly

though God is within, man is unable to realise Him. In the dream

state, man may experience death and feel sad about it. When he wakes

up, lie will heave a sigh of relief realising that what he saw was

only a dream. Then who was the one who died in the dream? It was just

a creation of the mind. Similarly even in the waking state whatever

man experiences is a creation of the mind. My father, my mother, my

wife, my children etc all such feelings arise out of illusion. They

do not correspond to reality It is because of illusion that man

develops physical relationships and ultimately subjects himself to

suffering. When man develops, pure and unsullied love, he will not

experience pain or suffering. Love for the physical body is false and

fleeting. Love for the Self is true and eternal. In order to

understand the truth of your identity, you should enquire within.

 

Once Sankaracharya was proceeding to the river Ganga along with his

disciples. On the way, he found a person sitting under a tree and

repeating Dukrun Karane, Dukrun Karane. He was in fact trying to

master the rules of Panini's grammar. Sankara took pity on him and

advised him to contemplate on the Lord instead of wasting his time in

the acquisition of worldly knowledge.

 

Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam Govindam Bhaja Moodha Mathe Samprapthe

Sannihithe Kale Nahi Nahi Rakshati Dukrun Karane.

 

(Oh foolish man, chant the name of Lord Govinda; the rules of grammar

will not come to your rescue when the end approaches.)

 

Bhrama and Brahma are based on your mind. They are not present

outside. Brahma is within you, But as you are immersed in bhrama

(delusion), you consider Brahma (Divinity) to be a distant entity.

Once you realise that you are Brahma, you will be free from Bhrama

once for all. You suffer ­because you identify yourself with the body.

Once you get rid of body attachment, you will experience everlasting

happiness.

 

Embodiments of Love

 

Pleasure and pain are your own making. God does not give them. You

are the cause of your suffering, none else. Understand this truth.

From the spiritual point of view, pleasure, pain and the worldly

relationships are illusory. They are not real. Right from dawn to

dusk, man is leading a life of delusion. Having been born as a human

being, man should experience the truth. The physical body grows for a

certain period and later on becomes weak and decrepit. Birth and

growth are related to the body, which is unreal. But man considers

body to be real and thereby suffers. When you see with your eyes wide

open, you are able to see many people. But, when you close your eyes,

you cannot see anybody. From where do so many people come when you

open your eyes? Where do they go when you close your eyes? You do not

know. In fact, you do not know the place of your origin and also your

destination. That is why you suffer. Once you realise that you are

not the body and nothing in this world belongs to you, you will not

suffer. Everything in this world is of your own making. Nothing is

real.

 

Embodiments of love!

 

It is only, God, the embodiment of love, who is with you and in you

always. Bereft of love, man cannot exist. Love is your life. Love is

the light that dispels the darkness of ignorance. One who does not

cultivate love will be born again and again. Punarapi Jananam

Punarapi Maranam. Whoever is born will die one day and whoever dies

will be born again. Birth and death are the Prabhava (effect) of the

objective world. As the Prabhava deludes him, man is subjecting

himself to Pramada (danger).

 

Embodiments of Love!

 

Worldly love is transient; it cannot be called love at all. True love

is immortal. You should cultivate such love. Physical body grows and

decays. How can you consider it to be real? In fact, nothing in this

world is real. Body attachment is the cause of delusion. Hence,

gradually reduce your body attachment. This is the most important

Sadhana you have to undertake. Japa (chanting), Thapas (penance),

Dhyana (meditation), Yoga (communion with God), etc., do not

constitute true Sadhana. Whatever you consider to be real is in fact

unreal. Whatever is unreal has to be given up. This truth has to be

understood in the first instance. It is very easy to give up body

attachment. I wonder why people are not able to do so!

 

You can see a number of bulbs glowing in this hall. But the electric

current passing through them is the same. Bodies are like bulbs and

the principle of Atma is like the current passing through all the

bulbs. Understand this oneness and share your love with one and all.

Do not consider anyone to be your enemy. You consider the one who

loves you to be your friend and the one who hates you to be your foe.

In fact, there is neither friend a nor a foe. It is only your

imagination.

 

Today, people perform various Sadhanas to experience divinity. Will

God come closer to you because of these Sadhanas or does He go away

from you if you do not perform them? No. It is only the bhrama that

goes away from you when you perform the Sadhanas. As a result, you

become closer to Brahma. You should make every effort to get rid of

bhrama.

 

Give up the feeling that you are the body and you are the doer. Only

then can you be free from delusion and fear. Reduce your body

attachment. That is the Sadhana you are supposed to undertake.

Spiritual practice does not lie in the performance of Japa, Thapas,

Dhyana, etc. They are done only for your mental satisfaction and not

for having the vision of God. Give up all these practices. Develop

firm faith that you are God. Remind yourself constantly, " I am God, I

am God, I am God " . Then you will become God. Body is merely the

vesture you have put on. It is not your true Self. As the body

attachment increases, the suffering also increases.

 

Tyaja Durjana Samsargam; Bhaja Sadhu Samagamam; Kuru Punyam

Ahorathram (Give up bad company; join good company and perform

meritorious deeds day and night). In this world, you see many names

and forms. Does it mean that they are all different from each other?

No. All are one. It is only divinity that expresses itself as mother,

father, brother, sister, etc. Names and forms may be different, but

the underlying truth is one. When you keep this principle of truth in

view, love will flow from you incessantly. Immerse yourself in the

river of love. Do not give up love under any circumstances. Even if

someone were to hate you, treat him as your own brother. If you were

to meet him on the road, do not show anger; greet him with love. Your

love will certainly bring about transformation in him. True happiness

lies in the spirit of sacrifice. Thyaga (sacrifice) is the true Yoga.

Man, today, does not cultivate Thyaga. On the other hand, he seeks

Bhoga (pleasure) and thereby subjects himself to Roga (disease). When

you develop the spirit of sacrifice, you will be free from suffering.

True spiritual practice is that which helps you to overcome delusion.

What is the use, if you get drowned in delusion more and more with

the advancement of age?

 

" I am not the body, nothing is mine. " This is what you should know.

Question yourself, " Who am I " ? You will get the reply, " I am I " . When

you understand and experience this truth, nobody can cause any

suffering to you. You cannot escape from suffering so long as you are

immersed in the dualistic feeling that you are a mere mortal and God

is separate from you. The feeling that " I am separate from you " is

your own imagination. When 'I' and 'You' are joined together, it

becomes 'we'. However, 'we' + 'He' (God) becomes only 'He' who is

changeless. 'I' and 'you' change constantly.

 

Embodiments of Love!

 

Many people do Sadhana like Japa and Dhyana, but they are not of much

use. However, they lead to some change in due course of time. They

may confer temporary results but they cannot grant eternal bliss. You

should not worry for temporary results. The feeling of 'I' and 'mine'

is the root cause of worry. You will be haunted by worry so long as

you don't realise Hari (God). You are worried because you identify

yourself with the body. Once you identify yourself with the Self

(God), you will be free from all worries. Hence, you should make

every effort to realise your true Self. Under any circumstances, do

not shed tears of sorrow. One will be free from sorrow when one gives

up body attachment. In order to be free from worry and fear and to

attain everlasting peace, you should realise that " I am 1 " . When you

have firm belief in this statement, nothing can shake you. Do not

develop undue attachment to the body and material possessions. You

will be redeemed only when you lead your life with a spirit of

sacrifice. What you should achieve is Thyaga and not Bhoga. To

consider something as yours ('rnine') is Bhoga. To realise that

nothing is yours ('not mine') is Yoga. This Yoga bestows on you the

true strength.

 

Jesus performed various types of Sadhanas and ultimately realised

this truth. Once Mary and Joseph took their child Jesus to a fair in

Jerusalem. In the crowd, the parents lost trace of Jesus and searched

for him everywhere. All the while, Jesus was sitting in a comer of

the temple and listening to the sermon of the priest. The parents

were searching for him outside the temple. Mother Mary ultimately

found him in the temple. She rushed towards him and affectionately

embraced him saying, " My son, what happened to you? Where had you

gone? We have been in search of you. " Jesus told her, " Mother, I have

not stepped out of the temple. I have been listening to the sermon of

the priest. Why should you have any fear? Those who believe in the

world will have fears. But, why should anyone believing in God, fear

at all? I am in the company of my Father, why do you fear? "

 

Forgetting your innate divinity, you are in search of God in the

external world. You are God yourself, Is it not foolishness to search

for yourself in the outside world? Look within, only then can you

find God. It is very easy to understand this oneness. However, you

should have firm faith to begin with. You should believe that God is

not separate from you. On a deep enquiry, you will realise that God

is in you and also outside.

 

Embodiments of Love!

 

Turn your vision inward and search for your true Self. Self-enquiry

leads to true Sakshatkara (vision of God). Once you have Sakshatkara,

you will be free from all worries. It is a mistake to say that you

have not experienced God. He is present in you. A person kept a ten-

rupee note in a book and forgot about it. He was carrying it all

along. One day he was in need of ten rupees. He asked his friend to

lend him ten rupees. His friend readily agreed. But before giving the

money, his friend wanted to see the book he was carrying. As he

opened the book, the ten-rupee note fell from it. He was happy that

he had the required amount with him and that there was no need to

borrow it from his friend. Likewise, today man is in search of God,

as he has forgotten his innate divinity. Man can realise God only by

self-enquiry.

 

Embodiments of Love! Students!

 

You are making various efforts to experience Divinity. Do not search

for God outside. He is in you. Everything is in you. All that you see

outside is illusory. Do not be carried away by the illusory world.

Only then can you attain peace and ultimately realise the truth " I am

I " . To know this simple truth, you need not go through various sacred

texts. Keep the texts aside. Enjoy the taste of divinity within.

Develop inner vision and visualize your true Self.